ORCA has replaced the PugetPass

The PugetPass is no longer available to the general public for purchase or use in the region or for use on either Olympia Express service or Intercity Transit’s local service. The new electronic ORCA card that became available regionwide in January 2010 has replaced it. Please note that the ORCA card is not accepted as fare payment on local Intercity Transit service. To find current locations of ORCA card services and outlets please contact ORCA Customer Service: 1.888.988.6722 or on-line www.orcacard.com.

Does Intercity Transit accept the ORCA card?

Yes, on their Olympia Express service, Routes 603 and 620. Intercity Transit accepts the ORCA card with a monthly pass “loaded” on it as fare on their Olympia Express service. Until Intercity Transit Express buses are equipped with ORCA card scanning equipment, card will be accepted as a “flash card.” You simply show your ORCA card to the bus operator upon boarding an Olympia Express bus.

Intercity Transit has been working with the Central Puget Sound ORCA Partnership in their effort to expand the electronic fare system to transit systems outside of their service districts. It was initially expected that allowing Intercity Transit to participate in the ORCA project would have been accomplished by now. But due to on-going technical and legal reviews the updated estimate is by the end of 2010.

During this transition, ORCA cardholders who use Routes 603 or 620 will need a monthly pass product on the card equal to or above the Olympia Express monthly pass price of $90 for adults or $45 for reduced fare riders. ORCA cards with only an “e-purse” cannot be accepted at this time on these routes. Riders must either pay the cash fare or use one of the other Intercity Transit fare media (ticket, monthly pass or daily pass) that are available. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause but, until the card scanning equipment is installed, Intercity Transit is limited to what can be accepted with the new ORCA card system.

Please be aware that the ORCA card readers are not on local Intercity Transit service within Thurston County. Intercity Transit’s own fare payment media – tickets and passes - will continue to be available for purchase and use.

Will there be ORCA sales outlets in Thurston County or at Intercity Transit?

The ORCA Partnership is considering whether or not to allow Intercity Transit to sell and load ORCA cards. No decision though has been made at this point.

You can easily get an ORCA card via internet (www.orcacard.com) or by calling ORCA Customer Service: 1.888.988.6722. You can also load the card with value online at orcacard.com, over the phone, by mail, and at Sound Transit ticket vending machines. The standard ORCA card is available now for a $5 card fee.

Current Regional Reduced Fare Permit (RRFP) holders can exchange their valid RRFP at any time for a new ORCA RRFP card at no charge. If you are applying for a new ORCA RRFP card, it will cost $3.
Intercity Transit’s own fare media has not changed. All of our current fare media remains in use: Cash; Daily Pass; Adult, Youth and Reduced IT Monthly Passes; Tickets; Regional Reduced Fare Permit; the Star Pass for state employees, the TC Rider Pass for Thurston County employees, and student passes for The Evergreen State College and South Puget Sound Community College.

I ride the Olympia Express now. How should I pay my fare?

ORCA cards with the correct amount of fare pre-loaded on the card can be used as “flash cards.” While this is an ‘honor system” please be aware that a transit supervisor or fare collection inspector may ask you for proof of purchase for your ORCA card.

The current use of specific Intercity or Pierce Transit local fare media (tickets, passes) as fare payment on both Intercity Transit and Pierce Transit Olympia Express service will remain unchanged. It is expected to remain that way through the rest of 2010.

Riders who currently use Pierce Transit’s Olympia Express service (Routes 601 and 603A) may want to consider getting an ORCA card now. ORCA is accepted on all Pierce Transit service as well as being valid on Sound Transit, King County Metro, Kitsap Transit, Community Transit, Everett Transit and the Washington State Ferries.

What is ORCA?

“One Regional Card for All” – ORCA – is a new regional public transportation fare payment system that provides transit customers a reloadable “smart card” that can be used for years. Functioning much like a debit card, ORCA can perform like a monthly pass, act like a money purse, or do both.

ORCA is currently installed and working on seven regional Central Puget Sound transportation systems including: Pierce Transit, Sound Transit, King County Metro, Kitsap Transit, Community Transit, Everett Transit and the Washington State Ferries.

Intercity Transit’s Olympia Express service, which operates between Olympia/Lacey and Lakewood/Tacoma, is accepting ORCA cards that have a monthly pass loaded onto the card.
ORCA cards are available in Adult, Youth and RRFP cards. The standard ORCA card cost $5. There are a number of locations throughout the Central Puget Sound area to get the card. Or you can order over the web or by phone. Please contact ORCA Customer Service: 1.888.988.6722 or on-line www.orcacard.com.

How do you add value to an ORCA card so you can use it?

The current ORCA card can be set up to accommodate two separate fare functions or a combination of both:

1. ORCA “PugetPass”: Use it as a monthly pass. If you commute or ride regularly, a monthly pass will save you money over paying a cash fare each time you ride. The monthly pass costs are based on fare zones. It will also function as an electronic fare transfer between transit routes or between transit systems. Until ORCA card readers are installed on Olympia Express service this will be the only type of ORCA card accepted on Intercity Transit’s Olympia Express service.

2. E-purse: load a cash value of up to $300 on the card (the minimum amount is $5). If you’re not a frequent rider, want to transfer between routes or transit systems or occasionally switch modes, say between a bus and a commuter train, this replaces the need to carry cash or exact change. The system will automatically deduct the transfer or cash value of your ride. You can add money to this e-purse at any time via the internet or at transit customer service centers in the Central Puget Sound area. This portion of the ORCA card though cannot be accepted on Intercity Transit’s Olympia Express service until the buses are equipped with card readers.

You can load value – a monthly ‘PugetPass’ value or e-purse cash - on your ORCA card at a number of locations in the Central Puget Sound area including Pierce Transit Bus Shops. You can also go online at orcacard.com, over the phone, by mail, and at Sound Transit ticket vending machines.

For more details about the ORCA fare system or to find the location of ORCA card services and outlets contact ORCA Customer Service: 1.888.988.6722 or on-line at www.orcacard.com. If you have additional questions or need assistance with Intercity Transit service please, contact Intercity Transit Customer Service at     360-786-1881 or customerservice@intercitytransit.com.

Where can I get more information about the new ORCA card?

ORCA Customer Service: 1.888.988.6722 or on-line at: www.orcacard.com. TTY Relay: 711.1.888.889.6368. For non-English interpreter services, call 1-800-823-9230. You can also contact any of the seven ORCA partners for information as well. These are: Pierce Transit, King County Metro, Kitsap Transit, Sound Transit, Community Transit, Everett Transit and the Washington State Ferry System.